Fox News reported that Missouri’s Supreme Court unanimously blocked newly enacted Republican-backed congressional districts from being used in November, ruling that voters must first approve the map in a statewide referendum. The outlet characterized the move as a setback for Republicans in the national redistricting fight.
What the court did, per Fox News
According to Fox News, the court’s ruling prevents the new GOP-supported map from taking effect before voters weigh in. Fox News framed the decision as unusual given the national stakes over control of the U.S. House.
The sequence the source describes
The source article asserts the following timeline: Missouri’s legislature passed a new congressional map and the governor signed it. The article states that Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected a referendum petition challenging the map, a lower court upheld that rejection, and then the state Supreme Court reversed those decisions. The source says this happened close to a September 8 ballot-finalization deadline.
Primary under one map—general under another?
The source claims Missouri held its August primaries under the new map now on hold. The article quotes Gov. Mike Kehoe as saying, “Holding a primary election under one congressional map and a general election under another is unprecedented and creates uncertainty for Missouri voters.”
The source also quotes former President Donald Trump calling the development “a Dark Day for ‘Justice’ in Missouri,” warning there isn’t time to resolve it before November.
Who challenged the map, and why it matters
The article attributes the challenge to People Not Politicians Missouri, saying the group collected more than 300,000 signatures to trigger a referendum process it claims hasn’t been used on a congressional map since 1922.
As for stakes, the source cites NBC News reporting that the redrawn district would have favored Donald Trump by more than 17 points based on 2024 results, while the old map preserves a district where Rep. Emanuel Cleaver won by nearly 24 points. The source frames the broader fight as part of the battle for control of the U.S. House.
Pushback and praise, according to the source
The article quotes Missouri’s “Attorney General Catherine Hanaway” calling the ruling unprecedented and a “constitutional crisis,” and stating she is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. It also notes, without independent verification, that five of seven Missouri justices were appointed by Republican governors.
The source says Democratic leaders welcomed the outcome: it quotes House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries referencing a Virginia case as a comparison, the DNC chair calling the ruling a “big win for democracy,” and Rep. Cleaver declaring “the people fought back and won.”
